Blingy Halloween Wreath

I found the mesh for this wreath on sale at A. C. Moore for half price.   So a 10 yard roll was $4.99!!!  Of course all of the other items for the wreath weren't on sale, but I think this came out great!!! 

Here are the supplies:

Here is how you gather the mesh and attach it to the wire wreath:

Then just have fun adding the balls, the bow, the berries, etc.!!!  

To make the bow, here is my bow making tutorial on Youtube, I used wire edged ribbon on this one:

Bow Making 101

Blinged Out Boo!

Blinged Out Boo!

I found this great black faux pumpkin at A.C. Moore on a 40% off sale!  So I had to have it!!  It was still a bit pricey, about $20 even with the discount.  Then I wanted to do something different with it.  As I was trying to find some tulle to wrap it with in the bridal section, I found this rhinestone ribbon wrap that is supposed to be used for wrapping the stems of bouquets.  It was $2.99 for 2 yards.  I knew I had some type of ribbon at home to use for the top.  

 Here are all the supplies I used:

I measured the pumpkin to see how long my pieces needed to be.  I thought 9 inch pieces, 2 yards should give me 8 - 9 inch pieces.  Well, I guess it was a short 2 yards!

Everything was evenly spaced and then I ended up with the gap above!  What to do, what to do?  Hmm...it looks like a chalkboard.  Do I have something that can write on it?  I have a silver Sharpie, will it work?  I tried it on the bottom and it did!  So, here is my solution:

I think it's pretty cute!!!

Chicken Caprese

Chicken Caprese

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

½ Vidalia onion sliced thin

3 to 4 cloves garlic sliced thin

2 tablespoons Basil cut chiffonade  

1 large tomato sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large non-stick skillet over a high heat, melt butter.  Add onions and garlic, saute for 2 minutes until onions are translucent and soft.  Add chicken breast, salt, pepper and basil.  Continue cooking on first side for 3 to 4 minutes.  Turn and cook on second side for 3 to 4 minutes. Add a slice of tomato to each chicken breast and cover pan.  Continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes. 

Serves 4. 

Prep time 15 minutes. Cook time 11 minutes.  

Girls' Weekend Goodies

This weekend is a girls' weekend at the beach! That means some wine, of course!!!  I got these adorable wine glasses at Dollar Tree.  I love them!!! I also got the plain white bags and the adorable stickers at Dollar tree.

So girly and cute!!!!

So beachy and cute!!!

So, if you want to bring a little something for your girls' beach weekend, or any girl's gathering, head over to Dollar Tree and get some of these wine glasses!!  They would be great for a bachelorette party too.  

Closet Organization

I have wanted to get these space saving hangers for a while.  I had my doubts about how much "space" they would save or how well they would hold the clothes.  Well, they lived up to the hype!  Above is the "after" and below is the "before" of my very small and very crowded closet.  

And this is with all of my jeans on separate hangers!  I didn't get the multiple pants hangers yet, but I have found them on the QVC website, so they will be coming home soon.  Here are the links to them on QVC.  Yes, they are pricey, but really worth it!

Single Hangers

4 Tier Pants Hanger

The Greek Yogurt Lie

So, I got in a HUGE argument with my husband in the car because he said this; "I was reading how Greek yogurt has so much more protein than regular yogurt."  This lead to me screaming at him that yogurt is a protein!!!  Okay, maybe I'm a little hyper about such things.  To me it's really a simple thing to know that yogurt is a dairy based product and therefore a protein.  But I guess not everybody, especially a lawyer, would know that.  So I guess I overreacted.  Go figure!

Here are the side by side comparisons on the numbers with Chobani and Dannon Plain Non Fat.  The Chobani is a 150g serving size and the Dannon is a 170g serving size, but it's the best I could do.

Chobani

Dannon

There is very little difference between them!  There is certainly very little difference in the protein!!!!

Ugh!  Be informed about what you eat.

Father's Day Central!

Tons of Ideas for Father's Day

Filet Mignon Oscar 

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. softened Butter

4 filet mignons

1 lb. thin asparagus with bottom 2 inches trimmed off

¼ cup Scallions

2 cloves minced Garlic

1 lb. Crab meat

Juice of 1 lemon

1 Cup Whipped Cream Cheese

½ cup heavy cream

1 Cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 tsp. Fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp. butter and sauté filets for 6 minutes on each side.  Remove from skillet and keep warm. 

In rapidly boiling water, blanch asparagus for 2 to 3 minutes.  Set aside and keep warm.

Melt remaining 2 tbsp. butter in skillet and sauté scallions and garlic for 2 minutes. 

Toss crab meat with lemon juice. 

Add cream cheese to skillet stir and cook until melted, about 2 minutes.  Add crab meat.  Stir in heavy cream and ½ cup of the cheese.  Stir and cook until melted, about 2 minutes.  Add pepper and stir.

Pre heat oven to broil.

Place filets in a baking dish and top with asparagus, crab mixture and remaining cheese.

Place filets in oven and broil until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.  

Now what dad won't like that?!

Asparagus with Lemon Dill Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of Pencil Grass Asparagus
• 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
• 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
• 2 Tbls. Mustard
• 1/2 Tbls. Garlic Powder
• 2 tsps. Fresh cracked Black Pepper
• 2 Tbls. Fresh chopped Basil
• 2 Tbls. Fresh chopped Dill
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

Directions:

• Cut off bottom 2 inches of asparagus. Blanch asparagus in rapidly boiling water for 2 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine all other ingredients and whip with wire whisk until well blended.
• Drain asparagus and serve with sauce immediately. Sauce can also be warmed. Yield: serves 4

Trust me on these!

Pride of The Yankees

Ingredients:

6 Red Bliss Potatoes washed, quartered and cut into 1/4 inch slices

4 oz. Philadelphia whipped Onion and Chive Low Fat cream cheese

1/4 Cup Low Fat Sour Cream

1/4 Cup I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter

1 tsp. Fresh ground black pepper

Preparation:

Put water on to boil as you prepare potatoes. Quarter and slice potatoes in ¼ inch slices. Boil in rapidly boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain.

Add Cream Cheese, Sour Cream and Butter substitute to hot pot. Add hot potatoes and Pepper on top. Stir until mixed thoroughly.

Serves 4.

After all, every man wants potatoes with his meat!

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

• 1-cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 fresh egg
• 1-teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream, heated
• Sweetened whipped cream for garnish

How to Make

• Break the eggshell and pour its contents in an electric blender, along with chocolate chips and vanilla extract. Blend for 30 seconds.
• Slowly, pour heated cream into the chocolate mixture by removing the middle of the blender lid. In case that is not possible, stop the blender while pouring heated cream.
• Blend chocolate chips melt nicely and mix well. Pour into wine glasses.
• Refrigerate until it is set, at least 1 hour. Garnish with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and serve.

The mousse is so simple, but he will LOVE it!!! Just add a tie or a shirt and you are good to go!!!